The humid jungles of Skao buzzed with the chorus of the multitudes of fauna that lived in it's depths, the noise reaching near deafening roar. But to Cualli, child of Tlalli and Xipilli, daughter of the Green-Stone tribe, the noises were as little to her as the wind.
The young girl, barely fourteen summers, made her way down the path to her family dwelling, a hovel with room for no more than four bodies, a leaf-woven basket of yellow skinned akkiane fruit nestled in her arms. A long garment of blue and brown cloth hung from her shoulders and tightened around her waist by a snake skin belt. Her arms, the same light brown colour as the rest of her tribe, were bared saver for her upper arms which were wrapped in simple but impressive bands, shaped like curling snakes, with eyes made from amethyst. Cualli's hair, black and coarse, fell long to reach the middle of her back. Her black, almond shaped eyes, were, according to her mother, "A gift from the Sky-God".
Now, as she made her way down the trodden path to her home, her eyes cast awed glances around her. She, and the rest of her tribe, had lived in a place that the local priest repeatedly said was sacred, and home to the 'elder beings', beings who had tamed the very land themselves.
For what kind of man could have hewn the very stones themselves from the ground and built them in towering edifices that seemed to touch the sky itself? Towering edifices that ringed the jungle clearing the Green-Stone tribe had lived in for countless generations. The homes of her tribesmen, clustered around the bases of statues and built into the sides of walls did little to dispel the majesty the ruins still emitted.
Even as she passed under the shadow of the Abode of the Elder Beings, she did not shiver under the long shadows. To her, those shadows meant protection and safety from a cruel and dangerous world.
Making her way further down the path, she spied her mother talking excitedly to one of her friends. Picking up her pace, Cualli quickly made her way to the two women, excitement plain on her face.
"Mother!" She called out, clutching the basket tighter to her chest.
Tlalli did not seem to hear her though, for she was still deep in conversation with her partner. Drawing nearer, the young girl managed to hear the two women's conversation.
"... and the Sky-Giants are moving again. My brother saw them with his own eyes!" The other woman, Xiuhpepe, the portly wife of one of the hunters, said animatedly, her eyes alight with wonder.
"Be quite, Xiuhpepe. Do you know how foolish you sound? The Sky-Giants." Cualli's mother scoffed, rolling her eyes at her friend, "Not even my father's father had seen the Sky-Giants. And he had travelled to the Southern Plains."
"Sky-Giants?" Cualli asked, surprising the two women.
Xiuhpepe recovered quickly, placing her hand on the girl's shoulders. "Yes, child. The Ski-Giants. The children of the Elder Beings. The ones who protect this land and it's peoples. Surely you believe me, right?"
Cualli was about to open her mouth before she felt herself being dragged away, her mother's strong grip around her left arm.
"Come now, child. Let us return home. The fruit will spoil quickly if we don't get it stored." Her mother's stern voice brokered no argument or rebuttal, leaving Cualli with little to do except cast a pitying glance at the other woman, who stood with her head downcast.
"I don't want you listening to Xiuhpepe's tales about 'Sky-Giants', do you understand?" Cualli's mother's grip had loosened, but her temper had not. "A friend she may be, but that woman's head is filled with the stories that are told to children."
Cualli nodded, not in agreement but in remembrance, recalling the stories that the priest's wife had told. Of how the Elder Beings left the world, gifting it to the Green-Stone tribe and their fellows, about how the Sky-Giants were tasked with their safeguarding and protection. She remembered stories of how the Sky-Giants would stride through the forests, their footfalls making the mountains quake in fear. Of how they called upon the very thunder itself to cast the denizens of the deep jungles back to their lairs. Of how...
"Cualli! Are you even listening?" Tlalli asked, the anger flaring back up in her eyes at her daughter's disrespect.
"Sorry, mother." The teenager said by way of apology, her eyes looking into the basket for some kind of answer.
Muttering something under he breath, her mother strode back home, leaving the girl standing alone in the shadow of one of the statues in the settlement. Gazing up, she peered into the face of one of the statues: a woman, with soft but chiselled features, her eyes closed. Either in sleep or sorrow, Cualli did not know, but she took comfort in the statues face. She admitted to herself that, here in the shadow of the likeness of the Elder Beings, the talk of the Sky-Giants returns had frightened her.
But hadn't the priest said that the return of the Sky-Giants meant the ending of the world? Or was that just the talk of Ollin the carpenter when he was drunk?
Lost in her reverie, she did not notice the change.
The jungle noise, so similar to herself like the wind itself, had fallen silent.
A long and urgent blast from a hunting horn soon filled the empty space. An alarm from one of the wall-hunters.
The next moment, the sound was replaced by the mighty sound of splintering wood and cracking stone work followed by a deep, bellowing utterance that seemed to fill the entire settlement. A roar that rooted Cualli to the spot in primal fear.
Carnosaur.
"Cualli!" Her mother called, running up behind her, grabbing her around the waist. "Hurry, we must flee." Her mother's anger was gone, replaced by fear and concern.
Shocked into motion by her mother's distress, the girl dropped the basket and turned to run. However, she and her mother had not taken more than a dozen steps before they stopped dead in their tracks.
Before them, no less than a hundred meters in front of them, loomed the giant, reptilian shape of a bull carnosaur. Possessed of long, powerful legs and muscular arms tipped with brutal sickle shaped claws, the predator stood a daunting ten meters tall and twenty meters long from slap-nosed snout to spiny tail. It's flanks, pitted with scars and arrows and spears, were a dull green colour with deep red stripes on it's back, a pale grey covering it's underbelly, it's scales more similar to stone than the scales of it's smaller brethren. It's baleful yellow eyes scanned the thoroughfare, searching for food.
A low rumble, like the start of a thunder storm rolled down the path as it's eyes settled on Cualli and her mother.
It stalked forwards, it's mouth opening in what could almost pass as delight at the prospect of an easy meal, revealing a jaw full of sharp, serrated teeth, each longer than a man's arm.
At the sight of the brutal predator moving towards them, the girl's strength left her, collapsing to her knees in terror. All the while, her mother frantically called for her daughter to move and for someone to help, tugging on the child's arms.
Cualli herself sought solace in the only thing she could find solace in.
She prayed.
Her mouth moved wordlessly, prayers to whoever could hear spilling silently from her lips.
The carnosaur drew closer, it's speed increasing as it lowered it's head, it's blood-stained maw ready to swallow up the two humans.
Cualli still prayed, even as her mother was reduced to racking sobs behind her. This time she prayed to those she had always been taught would protect them. From childbirth to death, the beings who were tasked to protect the Green-Stone tribe and the other tribes.
The air filled with the stink of rotten flesh as the carnosaur began to close the final few meters to the kill.
Cualli closed her eyes, accepting her fate, but her mouths still moved wordlessly in prayer.
A titanic boom like thunder echoed through the settlement and the jungle itself, followed by a shrill whistle as something impossibly fast flew over the heads of the kneeling women. A flash of light filled the world as the carnosaur recoiled in pain, a titanic fireball springing into existence against the predator's flank, making it roar in anger and pain.
The ground shook, stonework reverberating to the sound of heavy footfalls. Opening her eyes, Cualli opened her eyes as she turned to face the direction of the new sound. A sharp intake of breath was the only sound she made.
Standing before her, less than a hundred meters away, stood a towering figure. Hunched and clad in deep blue armour, it's head was set into where a man's chest would be. It's right hand was replaced by a long, smoking barrel of metal and it's left hand was a mighty sword, serrated like the clubs wielded by the tribes warriors and hunters. The giant towered over the carnosaur, even the statues of the Elder Beings.
At that moment in time, Cualli would not believe it, and even in her later years, when she retold the story to her children and their children, she still would not believe.
Before her eyes, stood a scion of the Elder Beings. The answers to her prayer.
The Sky-Giant had come.
Recovering it's ground, the scales of it's left shoulder blackened and opened revealing glistening, wet muscle beneath, the carnosaur took a step forward, it's maw opening in challenge as it issued a deep roar.
The Sky-Giant stood still, but it too emitted a deep, bellowing blast, the sound seeming to echo throughout the world itself.
Tlalli picked up her daughter and stashed her and herself into a hollow as the carnosaur raced forward.
She was floating. Connected by neural pathways into her Paladin-pattern Knight, Tanja, first-born daughter of High King Adalbrecht, head of House Haindurn, viewed the world from the point of view of her walker, Ardent Fury, as it squared off against the predatory carnosaur in the settlement that was designated Settlement Alpha-Two-Two. She had tracked the beast for four days, following it's trail of death and destruction.
Standing at fifteen meters high, Ardent Fury's adamantium armour was painted the deep blue of it's house, with displays of the Imperial Aquila and a large shield on it's right shoulder bearing the emblem of Tanja's house: a winged shield bisected with the Aquila on a cream field one half and a blue griffon rampant on a white field on the other.
She didn't know what it was like on other planets, but on Skao, carnosaurs, specifically bulls, were brutal, single-minded creatures, who's sole focus was on the kill. The more of these beats she slaughtered, the better.
Her vision narrowed, her eyes filling with the information the Machine Spirit of Ardent Fury imparted to her as she readied the battle cannon to fire again. Wind, distance, ammunition count, all filled her vision as he watched the carnosaur close the distance between them.
With nothing but a thought, she felt the cannon, her hand, recoil with the thunderous force as she fired off two more shots, each high explosive round catching the monster in the flank, disrupting it's charge. Momentum still carried it forward, but the carnosaur quickly slowed itself, using it's powerful forearms to slow itself before it began circling Tanja.
Tanja ground her teeth together. The bastard's hide was too strong, even against four-hundred millimeter, high explosive shells.
Taking a thunderous half step back, Ardent Fury activated it's reaper chainsword, the monumental weapon roaring to life, it's keen edge singing for blood.
Sensing its foe's desire for a melee, the carnosaur lunged forward, it's jaw open and it's claws flexed, ready to rend and tear the armoured giant.
With a speed unknown for a being of it's size, Ardent Fury strode forward, swinging it's battle cannon in an arc, the adamantium barrel connecting squarely with the predator's face, the sound of metal striking scale and bone reverberating through the settlement. Reacting quickly, Tanja brought the battle cannon up in a brutal uppercut, the barrel connecting with the underside of the carnosaurs jaw, sending it reeling into the air, exposing it's soft underbelly.
'Time to end this' Tanja thought.
Lunging forward with the reaper chainsword, she felt it's adamantium teeth tear through the soft tissue of the carnosaur, the beast roaring in pain as it did. Struggling, the beast fought ever harder against the giant, determined to at least wound it's attacker. With but a glance, Tanja activated the Knight's chest mounted heavy stubber, which began peppering away at the beasts body.
She winced as she felt the carnosaur's claws rake through the pauldron of Ardent Fury, leaving three long gashes in the Knight's metal work.
The reaper chainsword continued it's path up through the animals body, gravity assisting it's brutal work as it continued it's path up through the beasts torso until, with a final, horrible crack, the colossal weapon erupted from the carnosaur's back, it's proud paintwork stained with blood and ichor.
The fight faded from the carnosaur's eyes as it's body accepted that it was dead, the giant body slumping dead. Tilting the chainsword down, the lifeless beast slid of the weapon to slump pitifully to the ground, it's internal organs and blood pouring from the gaping wound.
The chainsword wound to a halt, the teeth stopping their infernal purring as Ardent Fury and Tanja let the battle-lust dissipate from them.
Looking down, Tanja saw the inhabitants of Settlement Alpha-Two-Two emerge out of the hiding places to gather round the triumphant Knight and it's slain quarry, just as Tanja's sacristans, household guard and helpers poured into the settlement in bulky Taurox vehicles, cordoning off the beast. The helpers immediately set to work, some rushing to repair the ruined wall, while others crowded over the fallen beast, preparing to cut away at the corpse to remove it's head for mounting.
But the tribes-people paid them little mind, enraptured they were by the sight of the giant walker. One by one, they fell to their knees in prayer, lifting their arms and voices in adulation of their saviour, singing their thanks.
Tanja couldn't hear their words, shutting off Ardent Fury's external noise receptors, but she couldn't help but let a smile grow on her face.
Turning the Knight to home, she keyed her long-range vox-caster.
"Ardent Fury to House Haindurn, this is Tanja. My hunt is finished. Returning to base."
Leaving the bustling hangar behind, princess Tanja strode down the resplendent halls of House Haindurn's palace, her boots sinking into the plush carpets that adorned the marble floors. The home of House Haindurn was built from the remnants of an old colonisation ship from before the Great Crusade, it's many parts cannibalised to create the large fortress that encompassed the entirety of House Haindurn's scions, their vassals and their Knights. Over the generations, many more additions were made to the fortress-like home, which ranged from defence turrets along the wall to cathedral-like spires that scraped the skies.
Tanja paid little attention to the interior of the spacious corridor leading up to the great hall, ignoring the busts and portraits of long dead Haindurn heirs glowering down at the young woman. At twenty-five, she was the second eldest of king Adalbrecht's heirs, just after his son, thirty-three year old Maximilian. Possessed of long limbs and a lithe body, couple with her eagle like features, many members of court sought her for her beauty. Her long red hair, currently tied into a long ponytail, and piercing green eyes gave her a fiery appearance which kept many of the more... amorous suitors at bay. The presence of the broadsword and ornate stub-pistol holstered at her belt and her ever present bodyguard, Ichton Stone-Fist, his pugnacious face and stout frame present a barrier between anyone and everyone.
Her lithe form, devoid of the suit needed to pilot Ardent Fury, was clad in a flowing coat the same shade of blue as her Knight, with gold filigree and buckles, deep red cuffs on her sleeves which flowed behind her. Long legs were covered in tight, cream riding trousers, with black leather riding boots which trailer up to just below her knees. On her chest, she wore a steel cuirass emblazoned with the twin-headed eagle of the Imperium.
Drawing nearer to the doors of the great hall, Tanja let a smile come to her otherwise stern face as she spied her brother.
"Maximilian." She called out, quickening her pace as she closed the distance to her brother.
"Tanja!" The older man boomed, sweeping his arms wide as he caught his sister in a large bear-hug, the fact she was wearing a cuirass having no importance to the older sibling.
Where Tanja was a tall woman, Maximilian was joked as being more akin to the Knights he and his sibling fought in than a human. Standing well over two metres tall, with broad shoulders and a barrel chest, Maximilian could be considered frightening, especially with his mane and beard of red hair, giving him the same fiery appearance as Tanja. He wore the same outfit as his sister, save for his jacket which had cream epaulettes sown into the shoulders.
"I heard about your hunt. A red-banded carnosaur. And a bull no-less. My little sister's gotten into her stride." He joked as he relinquished his hold on her.
Tanja smiled at his praise. "Well, one of us has to be seen as doing something, you know."
Maximilian simply laughed at her taunt.
He opened his mouth, a retort ready on his lips, the sound of heavy footfalls drew their attention. Turning, they stood stiffly as they were approached by their father's right hand man, Baron Siegmund, Kingsword to the High King himself. Standing the same height as Maximilian, his broad face was home to a large grey moustache that joined to his head of grey, thinning hair. He wore the deep blue jacket of House Haindurn, but over his arms, shoulder and chest, he wore archaic looking but still functional plated armour, a sign of his role as protector of the High King, both in the court and on the battlefield. At his waist, a power-sword hung, it's five-foot long, diamond blade ready to be drawn at a moment's notice.
"Baron Siegmund." Both siblings said together, bowing their heads in reverence, a gesture which the baron returned.
"The court is assembled, and your father is read to see you."
Tanja nodded in acceptance, although she could feel trepidation knotting itself in her stomach. A comforting squeeze on her shoulder and a smile from her older brother allayed those feelings slightly.
Taking a deep breath through her nose, which she let out with her mouth, she nodded again to Baron Siegmund.
"I'm ready."
Turning smartly on his heel, Siegmund, trailed by the royal siblings strode towards the great wooden doors which opened at an unseen signal.
"Presenting; his Lordship, Baron Siegmund, Kingsword to High King Adalbrecht. His royal highness, First Prince Maximilian and her royal highness, First Princess Tanja, of the House of Haindurn!" The herald called out as the trio strode down long carpet laid out across the floor of the great hall. Ichton Stone-Fist remained standing outside of the great hall.
The hall was enormous, with a vaulted ceiling high enough to hold a Knight without it scraping the tops of the arches. Pennants from long dead Haindurn nobles hung from the ceiling, showing their deeds and victories in glorious, vibrant colour. Large brass chandeliers hung low from the roof, their multitude of candles casting their flickering light on the stone work. Tall, stained windows helped shed natural light into the giant room.
Two dozen guards stood ready along the edges of the carpet, dressed in baroque, but functional carapace armour, steel polished to bright sheen, mono-steel halberds clutched in gauntleted hands. Behind the guards, stood the masses made from the minor noble houses, dressed in their finest clothing as they tried to catch the attention of the ruling nobles.
At the end of the hall, seated on a large wooden throne, sat High King Adalbrecht, lord of House Haindurn, ruler of the planet Skao and the Shahar system. His frame, even without the expensive rejuvenate techniques so sought after by Imperial nobility, still radiated the same power and force that it did when he was younger. His face still bore the scars of the rigours of combat, his fierce green eyes still holding the same strength he did in his younger years, while his grey, chest length beard and mane gave him an air of wisdom and knowledge. His bulk was covered in the standard deep blue cloth of his house, but his was more resplendent in gold and silver filigree. His legs below the knees however, were replaced by augmetic implants fashioned in the likes of plated armour, having lost his legs when his Knight's armour was penetrated by an ork missile.
Striding down the plush carpet, baron Siegmund knelt in respect to his liege, before standing and taking his place at the right hand of throne. Next, prince Maximilian strode towards the throne, kneeling on one knee before his father, head bowed in respect. In return, Adalbrecht placed his hand on his son's shoulder and gave a soft smile. The son returned the smile and, standing back up, he took his place to the side of the throne, taking his place with the other royal siblings.
Tanja stayed standing a number of paces before the throne, her hands clasped behind her back, eyes facing forward, waiting for her father to finish his greetings.
"Princess Tanja, my first-born daughter. For what purpose do you remain standing?" The grizzled father asked, leaning forward in his throne, intrigue plain on his face.
Emitting a gentle cough, Tanja let her arms fall to her sides.
"Beloved father, High King of Skao, and to all the assembled members of this court," she accompanied that statement by casting short glances around the hall, "As you all aware, the inhabitants of this world who are not safely housed within the walls of this fine fortress-city are at the mercy of the brutal creatures that also call this world home. It was with great fealty and great pride that our beloved House took upon itself the task given to use by the God-Emperor of Mankind: to protect the people of this world, with all of our strength and all of our hearts."
Tanja paused, letting her words sink in to the minds of all of those gathered. She let a wry smile form on her face at seeing her father enraptured by her words.
"For those who may not have heard, today, I and my Knight Paladin, Ardent Fury, took it upon ourselves to hunt down a rouge carnosaur that had been sighted in our domain. The beast was responsible for leaving a trail of death and destruction in it's wake. It was thankfully stopped at Settlement Alpha-Two-Two, the home of a tribe known as the Green-Stone tribe. Forgive me if I sound prideful, but it was through my actions that the beast was slain, and many lives saved."
A smattering of polite applause followed, which quickly pattered out into silence as the High King raised his hand for silence.
"That claim is all well and good, daughter. But claims do not hold much weight by themselves. What do you have to support your claim?"
Tanja let a broad smile come to her face. It was a simple game her father played, to test the truthfulness of his children's claim.
"I knew you would ask that of me, father. So I present to you, and to all of those gathered in this court; this!" She called, gesturing at the giant doors, as they opened on her signal, a collective gasp of amazement following it.
Carried on a large flat-bedded carriage, pulled by six strongmen lead by Ichton, the colossal head of the bull carnosaur made it's way down the avenue. Many of the nobles covered their face in revulsion, at either the sight or smell or both, while a small number of the women fainted outright at the sight. Drawing up next to the princess, Ichton and the strongmen knelt before the throne.
Several moments went past, with the only sound being the collective muttering of some of the nobles, before the booming laughter of the High King echoed through the hall as he rose, striding towards his daughter's prize, clapping his hands as he did so.
"Oh, splendid. Splendid, my dear daughter. Absolutely magnificent!" he said, as he circled the severed head, marvelling at it's size. "A red-banded carnosaur. And a bull, no less. You always know how to surprise me." Adalbrecht said with a chuckle as he made to stand before his daughter.
Placing his hands on her shoulders, the grizzled old man softly placed his lips on Tanja's forehead before pulling her into a hug.
"Magnificent, Tanja. The head will look grand hanging in the trophy room." With a short wave of his hand, Ichton led the strongmen back out of the great hall, trailing the severed head as they left, the heavy doors closing with a resounding clang as they did so.
Taking his seat on the throne again, Adalbrecht waved his daughter to stand with her siblings. As she walked forward, receiving a pat on her shoulder from Maximilian, she heard her father clear his throat to address the hall.
"To all those gathered here, I thank you for bearing witness to this tremendous feat carried out by my daughter, the princess Tanja." The smile faded from his face however as he slowly stiffened his back in the chair. "However, it was not to revel in the mighty deeds of my children that I called you all here. There is a more pressing issue to deal with. The Imperium calls for the aid of our noble house."
Surprised murmurs erupted from the mass of nobles, with the royal siblings exchanging various glances with each other. The only passive faces in the sea of uncertainty belonging to Adalbrecht, Siegmund and the stern faces of the guards.
Holding up his hand for silence, Adalbrecht continued his speech.
"I myself do not know the fullness of issue, only that the forces of the God-Emperor call for our aid. So, to the court, I present Adept Albertus Igennas."
Silence held the court as, from beneath the shadow of one of the columns, a red robed adept of the Adeptus Administratum made his way to stand before the assembled crowd.
The man was short, taller than the inhabitants of Skao, but shorter than the people of House Haindurn. He had a stocky frame, with a shaven head and dull, grey eyes. His skin was a deep brown, darker than the native inhabitants, showing the fact that he was not a native. Casting a quick glance around the room, the man called Albertus opened his mouth to speak.
"I am Adept Albertus Igennas, adept of the Adeptus Administratum. I will not mince my words, for your sovereign has told you all the important part of my missive. An Imperial world, a world by the name of Karisol Ultra, has fallen to vile deprivations of democracy. A secessionist movement has overthrown the rightful Imperial rulers and has thrown the world into chaos."
He paused as the hall erupted into load murmurs at this news, with Tanja exchanging a worried glance with Maximilian, who just stared open mouth at the adept. Only her father and his protector remained impassive at the news.
"The Adeptus Administratum, with the aid of Deparmento Munitorum and the holy forces of the Adeptus Astartes," Albertus continued, unperturbed by the noise, "have begun building up a force of arms to restore Imperial rule to Karisol Ultra in a might crusade. As a system close to the Karisol system, your House has been chosen to help undertake this grand task."
Ending his speech, the adept withdrew to stand at the left hand of Adalbrecht's throne, as the High King pulled himself to his feet.
"Ever since our House had made contact with the Imperium in the days of the Great Crusade, before the Great Heresy, House Haindurn has always stood loyal to the Imperial cause. We have no shirked from duty when it was asked of us. And I have no intention of doing so now. As I have received this call for assistance, so shall we answer it."
His booming voice carried throughout the hall as he drew himself to his full height.
"To this great cause, I will the assistance of three chosen Knights and their vassals. To this, I name: Baron Siegmund, my own Kingsword, and his Knight, Spear of Vengeance, to serve as my representative in this endeavour."
At this, Siegmund walked forward before taking a knee before his king, his right fist connecting with the ground.
"I also call upon Baron Torben and his Knight, Wrath of Damocles, for this endeavour."
His name called, a man with a bionic eye and left arm, bald head strode towards the front the crowd and took the same position as baron Siegmund at his left side.
"And lastly, I call upon my daughter, Princess Tanja, and her Knight, Ardent Fury, for this endeavour."
The hall fell into stunned silence at this news. Tanja herself felt her mouth drop at the news, even as Maximilian took a step forward. "Father, surely you cannot be serious?"
Adalbrecht turned his head to look his in the eye. "I am serious, prince Maximilian," his voice held no sense of fatherhood in it, only the cold surety of a ruler. "And as I recall, I was not addressing you. I was addressing princess Tanja."
All eyes fell upon Tanja, her eyes open in shock. Swallowing, Tanja strode forward to take her place on Siegmund's right, taking a knee and placing her right fist on the ground.
Looking over the trio, Adalbrecht spoke again.
"To you three gathered before me, I ask this of you: do you swear to uphold the honour of House Haindurn in the face of the foe? Do you swear to fight the enemies of Mankind with righteous fire and fury, to safeguard the realms of the Emperor against all foes? Do this you swear?"
"This we swear." The three replied in unison.
"Then rise. For House Haindurn marches to war!"